Athletes are the new superheroes
“Sport has the power to change the world. It has the power to inspire. It has the power to unite people in a way that little else does. It speaks to youth in a language they understand. Sport can create hope where once there was only despair. It is more powerful than the government in breaking down racial barriers. It laughs in the face of all types of discrimination.” — Nelson Mandela
They say you should never meet your heroes. Last year proved otherwise. COVID raised the consciousness of the world. Which, resulted in a low tolerance for social injustices amongst society. Politicians, musicians and social influencers alike have been vocal on these injustices; however, none have had more impact than athletes.
A brief history of athlete activism
It started with Jesse Owens, an athlete who transcended race. He won four gold medals at Hitler’s Propaganda Games and received a standing ovation from a largely German crowd. He let his athleticism do the talking during an age in which defiance would have likely brought dreadful consequences both at home and abroad. I’m sure he’d be proud of the backbone shown by athletes today.
Muhammad Ali’s decision to speak out on going to war against an enemy who he believed had done less harm to him than his own countrymen did bring such dreadful consequences. He resisted the Vietnam draft, resulting in his boxing license being denied, in every state In America. He didn’t box for three years between the ages of 25–29. Yet, his bravery would influence a new generation of athlete activist, who would risk it all for their principles.
A few years later we met two African Americans, Tommie Smith and John Carlos. Their Human Rights display on the podium during the 1968 Olympics, protesting racial discrimination moved the world during the end of the civil rights movement. Their courage would later serve as a catalyst for future athletes to use their platform as a way of communicating the injustice’s society faces.
Colin Kaepernick brought the NFL to its knees in support of Black Lives Matter and was quite frankly ahead of his time. But what is seen as cool today, wasn’t so cool back then and it cost him his career. But in the famous words of the ‘Just do it’ 30th anniversary Ad, it’s better to “believe in something. Even if it means sacrificing everything.”
I think I speak for everyone when I say I hope the story ends with athletes taking the knee. At least then we will know the powers that be are taking action. However, until then, athletes should find inspiration in those that came before them and think of creative ways to raise awareness around the social issues their community faces.
Less talk, more action
Lewis Hamilton has continued the fight started by those before him. Hamilton has shown that whether you’re hated or adored, you’ll never be ignored and that’s what matters in the fight for social justice. The GQ Game Changer of the Year spoke candidly about George Floyd’s death and how the events that transpired arose personal memories. His vulnerability brought him many admirers, with his employer Mercedes supporting him by changing their primary F1 car livery from silver to black.
“Despite my success in the sport, the institutional barriers that have kept F1 highly exclusive persist. It is not enough to point to me, or to a single new black hire, as a meaningful example of progress. Thousands of people are employed across this industry and that group needs to be more representative of society.” — Lewis Hamilton, MBE via www.hamiltoncommission.org
His proactiveness birthed the Hamilton Commission. It seeks to understand the inequalities black people face on a socioeconomic level in motorsport. He has first-hand experience of the benefits of access to opportunity. However, Hamilton is an anomaly. He’s the first (And only) black man to drive in the F1 series and become a world champion, seven times. Beyond protesting, he is now utilising his network to bring tangible change by lobbying for the equal opportunity to careers within motorsport for young black boys and girls.
Marcus Rashford posed as a politician, took on the establishment and won. The GQ campaigner of the years’ pure intentions led him to raise £20 million and provide three million meals for children nationwide who were missing out on free school meals during COVID-19 lockdown. This blossomed into a partnership with Burberry, which will see the British fashion house, work in tandem with youth charities worldwide to bring educational provisions to young creatives and entrepreneurs to empower them to tackle significant challenges related to their communities.
Additionally, Rashford has started a book club through a publishing partnership with Macmillan Books. The partnership will promote reading and literacy to children from vulnerable and underprivileged backgrounds across the UK. Storytelling can be a great form of escapism for children and, increasing access to such resources will help them reach their full potential. Like Hamilton, Rashford is another example of how athletes can use their personal experiences to inspire change.
‘I only started reading at 17, and it completely changed my outlook and mentality. We know there are approximately 400,000 children across the UK today who have never owned a book, children who are in vulnerable environments. That has to change,’ — Marcus Rashford MBE via www.panmacmillan.com
A new type of activist
Athlete activism today comes in all shapes and sizes, and it has evolved from solely a human rights focus. Hector Bellerin’s humanitarian endeavours is an example of this. His passion for conservation and his ambition to tackle climate change within society saw him team up with global charity One Tree Planted and become a change-maker in this space.
Hector Bellerin did a great job of raising awareness through community participation. His “one tree planted for every one dollar” fundraiser in partnership with One Tree United saw $75,970 of $80,000 target achieved. Additionally, Bellerin’s leadership resulted in Paddy Power joining the initiative. In usual Paddy Power fashion, they mischievously pledged to plant 6,000 trees every time arsenal didn’t win. As a result, 58,617 trees will be planted in the Amazon rainforest.
Hector Bellerin kept on-brand with additional environmental endeavours; by becoming the second-largest shareholder in Forest Green Rovers, Britain’s only Vegan Football Club.
Speaking on joining the club’s ‘green revolution’, Bellerin said: “I was really excited when I first discovered the opportunity to get involved at Forest Green Rovers — and the brilliant work the club is already doing. It’s important that I invest in things I am passionate about — and I’m excited to help push football into having a sustainable future — via www.fgr.co.uk
Practising what he preaches, Bellerin continues to show how athletes can create awareness around issues they care about — namely embracing their platform to raise awareness of the climate crisis and improve sustainability through the power of sport. It’s important to note that Bellerin would not have achieved this without the collective actions of the football community. If athletes want to make the most impact, they should find ways to involve their audience.
An inspired generation
Athlete Activism isn’t a new phenomenon. It’s just a much more powerful force than before. 2020 has shown that athletes have realised the power they have to create consensus, coalition and positive change.
It’s fair to say that not all athletes have the platform to move mountains like the mentioned athletes, and they may not feel connected to the trending social issues. But the ones that do should ask themselves how they can use their name, image and likeness to shift the culture in a sustainable, progressive direction.
One athlete who hasn’t let his following, relative to other sports stars deter him from moving mountains is Reece James. In collaboration with the Felix Project, James aimed to raise £100,000 by his 21st birthday to tackle food poverty in London. As a team, they managed to provide 141,428 meals from the funds raised.
Today, an athletes ability to be a change agent is unprecedented. The reach of social media and the capacity to control your own message has enabled this. James listened to his community and leveraged his follower’s values and beliefs to create the most impact. James is an example of how athletes can drive change regardless of the number of likes and followers on their social media platform.
“I’ve set up this page to help raise money for The Felix Project so they can get more food to hungry children & people who are struggling right now…So please let’s all come together and create something special for all the people suffering. The Felix Project do great work in London… I was out with them last week helping to deliver crates of food…I’m setting a target of £100,000 which is equivalent to 610,000 meals — and I’m kicking it off with my own donation.” — Reece James on setting up his Facebook page in dedication of raising funds for the Felix Project to tackle food poverty via Facebook
Young Athletes especially will find that community work is a great way to connect with the public on a deeper level and make new fans out of them. Which will increase in an athletes social following in the process, as the newly invested supporters keep up to date with their activities. Eventually, opening them up to commercial opportunities in the future.
Lets “Change the Whirled”…together
“People want — and are demanding — that companies do good in both words and deeds. Now more companies than ever have the means to actualize this. A cocktail of consumer desires, technology, and changing culture had made doing good both a practical reality and a new requirement for corporate survival across industries” — Anne Bahr Thompson, Author of Do Good: Embracing Brand Citizenship To Fuel Both Purpose and Profit
In the wake of George Floyd’s death, brands rushed to prove that they are not afraid to be on the right side of history. With many releasing statements acknowledging their role in creating equal opportunity for all intersections of society and pledging to make a change.
Consumers want brands to put their money where the mouth is. Blanket statements concerning brand impact won’t cut it anymore. As a result, there is an opportunity for socially aware brands to partner with socially conscious athletes to develop their corporate social responsibility(CSR) strategy and push social issues to the forefront of popular culture.
Ben and Jerry’s like other socially aware brands (Patagonia, Nike et al.,) acknowledge that the relationship between company values and profit does not have to be mutually exclusive. More importantly, they recognise that the consumer of tomorrow (Generation Z) care equally, if not more about your brand promise than the USP of your product. This awareness has allowed Ben and Jerry’s to use conscious capitalism to benefit from the growth of conscious consumerism.
“According to advertising analyst Ace Matrix, Nike’s Just do it 30th anniversary Ad, in support of Colin Kaepernick, was positively received amongst the Generation Z and Millennial audience. Only, 13 percent of Millennials and 6 percent of Generation Z viewed the ad unfavourably, and said that they would be less likely to purchase Nike products in the future because of it.” — John R. Balkam, Author of 3-Win Sponsorship
Colin Kaepernick’s activism work inspired Ben and Jerry’s to create an ice cream flavour that speaks to the community he cares about. This move builds on Ben and Jerry’s previous social activism work; tying in well with their climate justice position. In 2018 they raised funds through their limited edition Pecan Resists flavour for several crucial change organisations. They have also been a vocal ally on climate justice, supporting The Climate Coalition on challenging the UK Government to make ambitious green goals.
The “Change the Whirled” partnership will not only build Kaepernick’s platform to engage with America’s youth through Know Your Rights Camp(KYRC), but it will also open up Ben and Jerry’s access to this community too. KYRC aims to empower black and brown youth with education, to create the next generation of change leaders. If Ben and Jerry’s use this as an opportunity to build meaningful relationships with this community, by providing experiences that will last a lifetime, they will make lifelong consumers out of this audience.
To conclude, activism can become a second career for athletes during their playing days, and a full time one after. An athletes career is short. And, their investments during it can create a whole new world, in which they can find purpose and meaning in once retired.
My advice to aspiring athlete activists is to find a cause that they connect with and just start. As seen from the examples, people want to be led and, when the elected leaders abstain from their responsibilities, they look to those they trust in the public eye. By just starting, athletes will create a butterfly effect resulting in others with the same values to follow, resulting in increased impact.
As for brands, they should see their CSR as a long term vision, not a short term win. Ben and Jerry’s shows that authenticity is key. Authenticity comes with consistency. If brands are consistent with their messages and actions, they will be considered authentic by their target audience. Brands should remain true to their story and align their activism with the values and beliefs of their customers to gain their trust.
We look forward to seeing who the next wave of athlete activists are, and which brands help facilitate this.
As you were.
Edi from The Athletes View.
“People who say “never meet your hero’s” obviously had the wrong Hero’s.”
